Lahat ng Kabanata ng Lustful Desire: Kabanata 131 - Kabanata 140

Jenna's POVSarah nudged me excitedly, a wide smile plastered on her face.But I felt numb. My body moved on autopilot, a practiced smile gracing my lips as I rose from my seat and made my way towards the stage. The climb felt like an eternity, each step echoing the hollowness within me.As I reached the stage, the host beamed at me, offering his congratulations. I mumbled a thank you, my voice barely audible. Taking the golden statuette from his hands, I gripped it tightly, the cold metal a stark contrast to the burning turmoil inside.The blinding lights of the stage reflected in my eyes, blurring the faces in the audience. Just then, I had a brilliant idea and my lips spread into a smile. Taking a deep breath, I adjusted the microphone and a resolute smile bloomed on my face."Wow," I began, my voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in my heart. "Thank you. This is... incredible. Thank you to the Academy for this immense honor. I am truly humbled." A beat of silence followed

Eddie's POVChloe's face broke into a wide grin. "Excellent work, Daddy! You deserve a slice for your efforts."I couldn't help but smile back. The weight of the situation with Amelia still sat heavy in my chest, but for a moment, the simple joy of ordering pizza with my daughter brought a lightness back to my heart.The scent of oregano and melted mozzarella filled the air, making my stomach rumble."Here you go," I said, placing a generous slice on her plate. "Be careful, it's hot."She blew on the pizza tentatively before taking a cautious bite. Her eyes widened in delight."Mmm, Daddy," she mumbled through a mouthful of cheesy goodness, "this is the best pizza ever!"A genuine smile spread across my face. In that moment, the world outside ceased to exist. It was just me, my daughter, and a delicious pizza shared between giggles and stolen bites.As we ate, the conversation, thankfully, shifted to Chloe's day at daycare and the new boy who apparently wouldn't share his blue crayons

Eddie's POVI kissed Chloe on the forehead and went back into the living room to clean up our mess. I was nearly finished with cleaning up when my phone rang. I picked it up and frowned when I saw the caller I. D. It was Sarah, Jenna's assistant. "Hello?""Hello, Sir. It's Jenna," she was whispering and there was an echo as she spoke, as though she was in a deserted area. "Where are you and why are you whispering?""I'm at… Never mind about that Sir. I was calling to inform you… to inform you that…""Spit it out, Sarah. Does this have to do with Jenna?"The urgency in my voice seemed to steady Sarah. "Yes," she said, her voice a little firmer now. "It's about the awards ceremony tonight. Jenna… well, she has a plan."My stomach lurched. "What plan?"Plans with Jenna rarely boded well for me."She wants to… announce that the two of you are back together."My jaw clenched. "Back together? That's ludicrous! We haven't spoken cordially in weeks, let alone gotten back together.""I know

Eddie's POVThe events of the night had taken their toll, leaving me emotionally drained and physically weary.Crawling into bed, I pulled the covers over my shoulders, the familiar scent of Chloe's discarded stuffed bunny a small comfort in the face of the chaos.Sleep, however, remained elusive. My mind replayed the events of the night in a relentless loop: Jenna's deception, my impulsive tweet, the conversation with James, and finally, the unanswered text to Amelia.With a frustrated sigh, I reached for my phone again, the screen still devoid of any notification from Amelia. Maybe a call would be more effective?With a sigh, I decided not to.The rhythmic hum of the air conditioner lulled me into a restless sleep. A few minutes later, the creak of my door woke me up. A sliver of panic sliced through my sleep fog. It was too early for Amelia to be back, and the security team wouldn't be arriving until morning. My heart hammered against my ribs as I sat up, straining to hear any oth

Jenna's POV"Well, darling," I said, extending a hand to Michelle. "Duty calls. But don't worry, I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to continue this fascinating conversation in the future."Michelle took my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. "Looking forward to it," she purred, her eyes gleaming with a challenge.As I turned to walk away, I couldn't help but throw a final dig over my shoulder. "Enjoy the rest of the evening, Michelle. Just try not to cause any…memorable meltdowns on stage."A flicker of anger crossed Michelle's face for a fleeting moment, replaced by a tight smile. "Don't worry, darling," she called back. "I'll leave the public meltdowns to the amateurs."With that, I walked away, leaving Michelle and her entourage staring after me. The encounter had done little to soothe my anger, but it had at least provided a temporary distraction. Amelia's POVThe question Blair asked me raced through me, my heart pounding fervently as I considered the question. Blair